The present invention relates to the control of the connection and disconnection of electrical connectors at locations such as building sites, and to devices and structures for accomplishing this purpose. More particularly it relates to a device which encloses and protects electrical connectors at such sites in all weather conditions, but which nevertheless permits rapid and secure connection and disconnection thereof. This device thus keeps the electrical connectors under the control of the users of the temporary electric supply provided through the connectors and their associated flexible lead cords or cables.
It is well known that temporary electrical service is provided at building sites in order to permit various equipment related to the building activity to be used at such sites. Such service is typically provided by a utility company to a single location at a building site. The service provided may comprise a group of hardwired outdoor electrical receptacles fixed to a board and mounted to a pole. Any extension of the service to any and all locations on the site to operate equipment must be made by flexible electrical lead cords. Equipment such as power nailing equipment, power saws, power drills, plumber's power threaders, power mixing equipment and the like are used at such sites. The needs of such equipment for electrical power are not limited to the conventional household levels of amperage and voltage. Higher voltages and/or currents are sometimes needed and the temporary extensions of this power to the equipment in use is needed.
Also often several pieces of equipment are in use at the same time by different craftsmen at different locations on the building site. To accommodate such diverse usage the builder or the individual craftsmen frequently employs an array of cords of different lengths so that an assortment of lengths can be combined to permit any piece of equipment to be used at any location on the site no matter how remote it is from the hardwired electric service receptacles. The ends of each flexible power cord in use is provided with a pair of male and female connectors. Frequently there is no single cord which is long enough to reach a work location at the building site. In such case shorter cords are joined together at their connectors to provide the needed length. In this way cords of any needed length can be assembled. Because of the very diverse use of the flexible extension cords which result the connectors are subject to accidental damage or disconnection.
Moreover it is known that the environmental conditions at building sites are primitive and the electrical connectors can be subjected to dampness or even to rain. Mud and mud puddles are common at such sites and when the connector pairs come in contact with such dampness a danger of shorting of the power carrying electrical contacts of the connectors may occur.
In addition as each craftsman pursues his individual craft at such sites there is considerable opportunity for the artisans to work at cross purposes as, for example, in running heavy equipment over the flexible power cords or over two coupled connectors of such cords. Such heavy equipment, which may be back hoes or dump trucks, can damage the connectors and render them unsafe or unusable. Means which would reduce or prevent such damage would be very valuable in improving the safety and reliability of the temporary supply of electric power to individual craftsmen at such sites.
A number of patents have been issued which are directed toward means for coupling together the connectors of lead cords. These patents are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,643; 4,643,505; 4,664,463; 3,344,393; 3,059,209; 3,030,601; 3,871,731; 3,721,939; 3,999,829; 4,690,476; 4,440,465; 4,145,105; 4,097,105; 2,037,907; 4,221,449; 3,281,755; 4,183,603; 2,464,893; 4,143,934; and 4,596,430. However none of these patents deal with an essentially crush proof structure which is quickly assembled and disassembled and which protects the contained connectors from moisture and water at construction and similar sites.